THE MENU: Granola with almonds, flax, and dried cherries

THE SONG: Bad Diary Days by Pedro the Lion

The breakfast cereal talked more than we did all day long
I asked her for a walk, but she had to be on her way
So I told her that I knew she’d been stepping out

David Bazan’s lyrics don’t exactly invoke morning cheer, but this granola can carry the dialogue in his depressing scene from a failed relationship.  And fortunately, I can promise that it will make you a lot happier than realizing your girlfriend is a cheat.

THE MENU: Plum Crumble

THE SONG: I Fall To Pieces by Patsy Cline

If Sara Lee could package and sell this dessert, this is the song that would accompany its TV commercial.  A slim, hot brunette raises a bite of ruby red filling and golden, buttery crumble to her lips, while Patsy Cline’s smooth voice lyricizes the orgasmic expression on her face — the American answer to those porno-esque Magnum ice cream commercials. (Incidentally, for fellow LOST fans who just can’t wait for more Sawyer action, check him selling the shit out of these ice cream bars.)

THE MENU: Pizza Margherita and with Caramelized Onions, Figs, Bacon and Blue Cheese

THE SONG: This is What We Do by MC Hammer

OK, so you might wonder: MC Hammer + Pizza = Where are you going with this?  It may seem far-fetched, but bear with me…  I was craving pizza and needing to bake (I have a special relationship with baking), so I set out to make some pizza dough.  I plunked my flour bags, yeast jar, and mixer on the counter and cracked open my laptop, contemplating the appropriate soundtrack for my kneading.  The go-to options are Italian opera or mafia music — yeah, that’s right, mafia music, you know what I mean — but that’s all so cliche, and being that I don’t have an ounce of Italian blood in me and didn’t grow up eating meatballs with the mafia, they’re not all that personal of a reference.

THE MENU: Celery Root and Apple Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette by Molly Wizenburg

THE SONG: The First Cut is the Deepest by Sheryl Crow

If Cat Stevens wrote a food blog, he’d probably be singing “The First Post is the Hardest”.  I’ve been cooking, taking photos, writing, and even putting together my blogroll all week.  Meanwhile, that voice in the back of my head has been chirping, “Briana, write the freakin’ first post already!”  But the inaugural post is so… Monumental.  Definitive.  Scary!  So why not start right here, right now, with a great song and awesome food writer whose recipe I’m munching as we speak. Er, write.  Here goes!

My Favorite Things by Diana Ross and the Supremes

So where did this begin?

On my way to get some drinks in the neighborhood (in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to be specific), I randomly selected D’Angelo’s Voodoo on my iPod and the track “Devil’s Pie” came on. As I walked and listened, I mused about creating a Devil’s Pie recipe.  This led to further musings about food and music, and I decided it would be pretty cool to write a blog that connected food and recipes to music.  I have yet to create a recipe for Devil’s Pie, but I started cooking, taking photos, writing, and posting almost immediately.

In truth, this is one of many food-centric blog ideas I’ve had in the past year. Cooking, food, writing and photography all top my list of favorite things, so this blog is a great excuse to indulge in said activities, and share them with other people.  Oh, and I really like music, too.

Some of the connections between food and music are totally personal, some are puns or interpretations of lyrics, and some are even more random than that.  But hopefully you like what you see and hear.  Heck, maybe you’ll even try cooking some of the recipes on this here old blog.

As Julie Andrews would say: here are a few of my favorite things.  I hope you enjoy them, too.